Improvement in construction of roads



To all whom it may-concern:

UNITED STATES EDWIN cHADWIcK, on EAsT sHEEN, MOETLAIIE, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,995, dated August19, 1873; application filed October 2, 1872.

Beit known that I, EDWIN UIIADWIGK, of East Sheen, Mortlake, in thecounty of Surrey, England, C. B., have invented certain Improvements inthe Construction of Roads and Ways, of which the following is aspecification:

My invention has for its object to construct roads or Ways of suchmaterials and in such a manner that a hard smooth surface without jointsmay be prepared for the wheels of carriages to run on, so that thetractive power required Will be considerably reduced, and the expense ofrepairs diminished. v

Figure l is a sectional view. of Aa suburban road or street constructedon the improved plan, with drains formed below the surface.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the roadway con-`l structed according tomy invention, and drawn upon an enlarged scale.

For constructing the surfaces of roads and ways I use Val de Traversasphalt, or other p asphalte, or analogous hard material. This 'asphaltis only used to forni the wheel-tracks,

as at a a, Figs. l and 2, and is laid upon a foundation of concrete, b,composed of Portland cement, or of selenitic lime mixed with gravel,broken stone, or other hard material. The use of the more expensivematerials, such as Portland cement, is confined to a-n area suffleientin width for the ordinary wheel-tracks, as at b b, the parts of the roador way bctween the wheel-tracks a a being` made of a rougher and cheapermaterial. The horsei tracks, or spaces c between the wheel-tracks givethc horses a better foot-hold, especiallyl for steep gradients, than canbe afforded by smooth surfaces. As I apply the harder material only tothe space where there is the greatest need of it, I cover less than halfthe road-space with it, andI proportionately reduce the expense.

The roads constructed in the manner shown and described would to a greatextent effect the same economy of horse-power as iron tram-ways, but ata greatly reduced expense, and without the inconvenience resulting fromthe use of iron tram-Ways, for the hardened surfaces of the wheel-trackways are made flush with the horse-track surface, so as to enable carts`and carriages to cross them or to get off them in order to make way forother carriages.` My improved tracks would, therefore, in that respect,have the same convenience as wide granite-stone tram-ways, only at aless expense. I, moreover, construct a more even track, and one whichcan be more readily altered or repaired when required 5 but what is thegreatest advantage of my invention, and What distinguishes it from allother roads having wheel-tracks, is the fact that the tracks areperfectly continuous, having no joints like those made of stone or iron,and therefore jolting is avoided, the wear and tear of carriages isreduced, travel is made more pleasant, and thel road is especiallyadapted for traction-engines, which are destroyed by joltmg.

The chief use of the proposed improved construction of roads and wayswould be for suburban roads and roadways of secondary traffic, wherethere will not be the same need of smooth surfaces over the wholeroadway; but it may with equal advantage be employed in towns, as shownat Fig. 2, which represents a section of a street with asphaltedwheeltracks a a and concrete horse-tracks c, the remainder of the roadbeing constructed of concrete, or it may be paved in the ordinarymanner. lf constructed of concrete so as to present a uniform surface,it will be found well adapted for frequent surface-cleansing by means ofwater.

Having now described my invention of improvements in the construction ofroads and ways, I wish it to be understood that I claim- Theconstruction of a road or way with continuous jointless tracks ofasphalt, or analogous material, laid in a concrete bed, in combinationwith horse-tracks and other parts of the road of other material,substantially as herein specified.

EDXVIN CHADWIGK.

Witnesses:

H. K. WHITE,

66 Chancery Laue. Tnowls GODEREY,

65 Chancery Lmzc.

TENT OEEICE.

